asked the Secretary to the Treasury what number of applications for old age pensions were passed in Ireland during the years 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912, and how many were rejected during the same years?

It is not possible to give the information in the precise form suggested by the question, but the following figures represent approximately (a) the number of claims passed in Ireland so as to become payable in the years 1909, 1910, and 1911, and in the first nine months of 1912, and (b) the number of claims rejected in Ireland during the sixteen months ended 31st December, 1909, in the years 1910 and 1911, and in the first nine months of 1912:—(a) Claims passed—

1909	…	208,000
1910	…	20,100
1911	…	41,300
1912 (nine months)	…	18,100

(

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, for the purpose of calculatng the income on which the Super- tax is chargeable on farms which are in the owners' occupation, the tithe is to be included, or may the tithe be deducted from the gross income?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on the 31st May, 1911, to a question on the same subject by the hon. Member for Hammersmith.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when the next Return showing the names, addresses, and occupations of the persons appointed to the commission of the peace in Ireland since the last Return (No. 306, of Session 1911) will be published; if he will state the reason of the delay; and if he will also state why the addresses of the persons appointed to the commission of the peace were not given in the last Return?

The Return, ordered on 21st October last, was presented on the 16th instant, and the addresses of the magistrates were included in it. By an oversight it was not observed, when the previous Return was being prepared, that the addresses were asked for in the Order of the House.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what arrangements are proposed to be put in force regarding the detention of livestock stores, fat cattle, sheep, and pigs imported from Ireland into Great Britain?

If the detention referred to therein relates to detention before shipment from Ireland the existing Order of the Department governing the exportation of animals from Ireland requires that each animal shall be detained and rested for a period of not less than two hours in a place of inspection approved by the Department at each port or place of shipment. As regards any arrangements for detention after arrival in Great Britain, I beg to refer the hon. Member to the President of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) the number of tons of butter exported from Irish creameries during the years 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912; and whether the same could be had according to counties or, if not, by provinces?

According to returns received in the Department, the following were the total quantity and the estimated value of butter exported from Ireland during each of the years 1909, 1910, and 1011:—

	Quantity.	Estimated Value.
	Tons.	£
1909	35,981	3,625,111
1910	34,945	3,584,810
1911	34,418	3,671,264

The figures for 1912 are at present only available for the six months January to June. The total quantity of butter exported from Ireland during the first six months of each of the years 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912 was:—

	…	…	…	…	Tons.
1909	…	…	…	…	12,500
1910	…	…	…	…	11,372
1911	…	…	…	…	10,841
1912	…	…	…	…	13,035

The Department have no means of showing how much of the quantities quoted above was butter "exported from Irish creameries" as distinct from other butter, and are unable to give the above information according to either counties or provinces.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) the number of store and fat cattle, respectively, exported from Munster during the years 1909, 1910, 1911, and up to October, 1912, taken by counties?

The information supplied to the Department in regard to the cattle exported from Ireland does not afford any means of stating the numbers of fat and store cattle respectively, exported by counties or provinces.

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether there is a possibility of getting the Irish Butter Bill carried into law this Session; and, if so, when will the Second Reading take place?

I hope it may be possible to secure the passage of this Bill, but I can give no pledge in the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the prolonged negotiations between the tenants and the landlord of the Bailey estate, near Clara, King's County, still remain fruitless; and whether, having regard to the fact that all but a few of the tenancies on this estate are only of £7 valuation or under, the Estates Commissioners will use the powers vested in them to compulsorily acquire the Bailey estate as a congested district?

This estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and purchase agreements have been lodged in respect of some of the holdings. The question of declaring the lands included in the proceedings for sale "an estate" for the purposes of sale will be considered in due course by the Estates Commissioners, who are not prepared at this stage of the proceedings to express any opinion on the matter referred to in the concluding portion of the question.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board has yet concluded negotiations for the purchase of the Murphy estate at Castleplunkett, county Roscommon; and, if not, whether he will state the reason for the delay?

The Congested Districts Board have not yet made an offer for the purchase of this estate, but hope to do so shortly.

asked the Chief Secretary if any untenanted land has been purchased by the Estates Commissioners from Lord Massy, at Castleconnell, county Limerick; if so, how much; and when will it be distributed?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 3lst October to which I have nothing to add at present.

asked whether the Estates Commissioners have yet completed the sale of untenanted land on the estate of Captain Gubbins, at Griston, Glenbro-hane, county Limerick; and, if not, how far have negotiations gone?

The reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the negative. The lands are not the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners, who are not yet in a position to furnish the owner with their preliminary estimate of the amount which they would be prepared to advance for the purchase of the lands if formal proceedings for sale are instituted by him.

asked the Chief Secretary when the vesting orders will be issued in the Cooke v. Lady Dyer estate at Ballybricken, county Limerick, and also in Bruff; have the Estates Commissioners purchased any untenanted land on the estate, and, if so, will it be distributed early next year; and will steps be taken to see that the fifteen acres which is situate at Kyle, Bruff, county Limerick, and which is seven miles distant from the major portion of the untenanted land, will be given to John Raleigh, whose father was evicted from these lands, and who has a small farm adjoining it on the same property?

The majority of the holdings on this estate have been vested in the purchasing tenants, and the Estates Commissioners hope that those outstanding cases in which they have sanctioned advances will be vested at an early date. The owners have accepted the Commissioners' preliminary estimate of the amount which they would be prepared to advance for the untenanted land which is included in the proceedings, and which the owners offer for sale to the Commissioners, but the land has not yet been acquired, and the Commissioners are not at present in a position to make any statement as to its distribution.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Lord Ashtown offered his grazing lands at Bally-nowlard, Brackna, King's County, to the Estates Commissioners, and when and on what grounds the Commissioners declined to purchase; whether the Commissioners have received a memorial from nearly 200 occupiers of uneconomic holdings on the part of the estate contiguous to the grazing lands; and, if so, whether the Commissioners have taken any steps in response?

The Estates Commissioners have received the memorial referred to. It would appear that legal proceedings are pending between the owner and the occupier of the lands of Ballynowlard, and until these are disposed of the Commissioners can take no further action in the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that the firm of Messrs. Vosper, of Portsmouth, contractors to the Admiralty, are paying the joiners employed by them 2s. per week less than the standard rate of wage; and whether he will communicate with the firm with the object of enforcing the provisions of the Fair-Wages Clause?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I will have inquiry made into the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the 15th Hussars were gazetted from South Africa to Ballincollig; where they are at present stationed; and will they in due course be drafted to Ballincollig, as originally intended?

The 15th Hussars are to be stationed at Longmoor on their return to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the names of the members of the Alien Immigration Board; and whether there is any committee in connection with the Board and, if so, the names of its members?

There are Immigration Boards for each of the fourteen immigration ports. A Board consists of three persons summoned in accordance with rules made by the Secretary of State from a list approved by him for the port. When there is an appeal to be heard, the Immigration Board clerk summons a Board, and he is required by the rules to summon every member of the list in turn so far as practicable. I am not aware of any committee, in connection with any Board.

asked the Under-Secretary for India whether the Secretary of State has received any suggestion that the ease of the Indian Post Office officials should be included within the purview of the inquiry of the Public Services Commission; and, if so, what action has been taken on such suggestion?

The terms of reference apply to all the Civil Services in India, Imperial and Provincial.

asked whether the Nair Marriage Regulation passed by the Travancore Durbar in October was adopted on the advice of the Government of Madras or on the initiative of His Highness the Maharaja?

The Secretary of State has received no information on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can gives the names of the head scientific officials of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in each of the Departments of Agriculture, Botany, Veterinary Science, and Fisheries; and state the dates of their several appointments, their respective scientific degrees or other qualifications, and their salaries when appointed and now?

The organisation of the several divisions of the Board is such that it is impossible to draw a clear line of distinction between the scientific and administrative posts. The following are the principal officers having scientific qualifications in the four Departments to which the hon. Member refers:—

——	Name and Degree.	Date of Appointment.	Salary
			On Appointment.	At Present.
			£	£
1. Agriculture	T. H. Middleton, M.A., M.Sc., Assistant Secretary of the Intelligence Division	10th Decemher, 1906	1,000*	1,000*
2. Botany	Sir David Prain, M.B., F.R.S., Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Technical Adviser in Botany	15th December, 1905	1,000†	1,000†
3. Veterinary Science	Stewart Stockman, M.R.C.V.S., in charge of the Veterinary Department, Chief Veterinary Officer	1st January, 1905	800	1,000
4. Fisheries	A. T. Masterman, D.Sc., Chief Marine Zoologist	2nd November, 1903	300	500
	J. O. Borley, M.A., Chief Naturalist	1st April, 1910	350	350
* Salary as an Assistant Secretary of the Board.
† Salary as Director of Kew Gardens, with residence.

A large number of officers in addition to those named above have scientific degrees, and, if the hon. Member wishes, I shall be pleased to send him a complete list.

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if he can now say in what form the Board's Market Reports will be issued after 1st January; if the English Report will contain any Scotch Reports from those markets near the border; and if the Scotch Board could be

After the 1st January next the Board's Market Return will include reports only from English and Welsh markets. In other respects the form of the Returns will be as at: present, but the charge of one penny now made will be discontinued. The Scottish Return will be issued separately by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, and arrangements will be made whereby persons desiring the Returns of both Boards will be able to receive them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will include in the Schedule of enactments to be repealed in the Pilotage Bill Section 633 of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894, and thenleave the future position to be determined after the international negotiations have was intended to be effected in the Bill of been completed; and, seeing this repeal 1911, will he explain why the same intention was not carried into effect in the present Bill?

I explained yesterday, in reply to questions put by the hon. Member for the Isle of Thanet Division, the reasons why I do not propose to repeal Section 633 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, in the Pilotage Bill, and I can only refer my hon. Friend to that reply, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that something like 600 of the sorting clerks and telegraphists attached to the Dublin sorting and telegraph offices have signed a memorial to the Chairman of the Select Committee on Post Office Servants repudiating the evidence given by Sir A. King before the Select Committee that discontent at Dublin was confined to a very small minority, and stating that, the memorialists were much dissatisfied with the promotion system and the administration generally of the sorting and telegraph offices; and whether, in view of the discontent existing there, he would, pending the Report of the Select Committee, lessen the power of the controllers of these offices in the matter of making selections from the sorting clerk and telegraphist staff for promotion?

My right hon. Friend is not aware of the circumstances referred to in the first part of the hon. Member's question. As regards the last part of the question, the controllers in the Dublin Post Office have not power to do more than make recommendations for promotion, and he does not propose any alteration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the present controller of the Dublin sorting office passed a competitive examination on entering the Post Office service; "whether he had a university degree or any other recognised standard of education; whether he obtained his promotion from grade to grade by a system of selection; and whether he took into account without imposing any test the educational fitness of men when, recommending them for promotion?

The answer to the first two parts of the hon. Member's question is in the negative, and the answer to-the third part is in the affirmative. As regards the last part, my right hon. Friend has no reason to doubt that the controller of the Dublin sorting office takes into account all the qualifications of the men concerned when making recommendations for promotion.